The Türkiye Guide

Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival Returns to Edirne on 29 June

· 2 min read Travel News
Traditional festival atmosphere in Edirne, Türkiye

Contents

  1. What is Kırkpınar?
  2. The festival atmosphere
  3. Getting to Edirne
  4. What else to see

The 664th Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival - inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - takes place in Edirne from 29 June to 5 July 2026. It is considered the world’s oldest continually held sporting event, with records tracing the festival back to 1346.

What is Kırkpınar?

Kırkpınar (meaning “forty springs”) is a form of traditional oil wrestling, or yağlı güreş, in which competitors wearing leather shorts douse themselves in olive oil before grappling for the title of chief wrestler - the Başpehlivan. Matches take place at Sarayiçi Kirkpinar Stadium on the banks of the Tunca River just outside Edirne’s city centre. The tournament spans seven days, with hundreds of wrestlers competing across different weight categories from the opening ceremony on 29 June through to the final championship rounds.

The festival atmosphere

Beyond the sport, Kırkpınar is a full cultural celebration. The streets fill with folk music ensembles, market stalls, traditional food vendors, and ceremonial processions. The opening davul (drum) and zurna (double-reed flute) ceremonies are particularly theatrical. Visitors who have never experienced Ottoman-era competitive tradition describe the atmosphere as unlike anything else in the region.

Getting to Edirne

Edirne sits in Türkiye’s Thrace region, about 235 km northwest of Istanbul. Regular buses from Istanbul’s major bus terminals (Esenler and Bayrampaşa) take two and a half to three hours and depart throughout the day. For day-trippers, an early bus allows a full day in the city before returning the same evening. A hired car is also a straightforward option. If you prefer a guided day trip from Istanbul, browse Edirne tours for organised excursions that include transport.

What else to see

We strongly recommend arriving at least a day before the tournament opens to explore Edirne’s exceptional Ottoman heritage. The Selimiye Mosque - designed by the architect Sinan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - is widely considered one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the world. The city also has strong culinary traditions, particularly in liver dishes and cheese, that reward an extra night’s stay.